Apparatus for the production of cables



March 28, 1961 s, A, PETERSEN 2,976,669

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CABLES INVENTOR. Sri/vp A rensw l( TTORA/E/S March 28, 1961 s. A. PETERSEN 2,976,669

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OP CABLES Filed July 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tij. 4.-.

-Pqio -ltsmlmhl IN V EN TOR. TV5/vo ,4 Pfr-5R55 YJ im ,4 TTOPNEYS March 28, 1961 s. A. PETERsEN 2,976,669

APPARATUS FoR THE PRODUCTION oF CABLES Filed July 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Tia-jm IN V EN TOR. V42

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION F CABLES Filed July 14, 1955, Ser. No. 522,099

19 Claims. (Cl. 57-64) This invention relates to the production of lamentary structures and relates more particularly to the production of cables comprising strands of wire twisted together with strands of filling material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for the twisting of cables.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel cable-twisting apparatus especially adapted for use when the filling material in the cable comprises strands of cellulose acetate, each of said strands comprising a tow made up of a large number of continuous filaments of said cellulose acetate. l

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

Certain preferred forms of this invention are illustratecl in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of the cable-twisting apparatus of this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a View on a larger scale, of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1, withcertain parts omitted and other parts cut away, in the interest of clarity,

Fig. 4 is an end view of a portion of the apparatus showing a mechanism for gripping the filling material when the apparatus is at rest,

Fig. 5 is a View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are end views of Inodied forms of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

Fig. 9 is a view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig..8, and

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line 10-10 of Fig. 4.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Figs. v1 and 3 thereof, reference numeral 11 designates generally a cable twisting machine. Like conventional machines of this type it comprises a circular lay plate 12 having symmetrically spaced apertures through which strands of metal wire and of filling material are led to a stationary closing die 13, at which these strands are brought together to form a cable 14, which is drawn from the closing die and taken up by suitable means indicatedy generally as 15. The lay plate 12 is connected, by means of a horizontal shaft 16, to a rotatably mounted wheel 17 driven by suitable means (not shown), so that the lay plate, the shaft and the wheel rotate together about the horizontal axis of the shaft.

The means for supplying the strands of wire to the lay plate 12 are of the type conventionally employed in the art. Thus, a plurality of reels of wire (not shown) are supported in well known manner in back of the wheel 17 and the wire from each reel passes through the wheel and around a guide roller 23, 23a, 23b or 23a (see Fig. 2), mounted on the wheel, one of the wires, designated as 33, passing through the central part of the wheeland around a guide roller 36 to the guide roller 23.

The strands of filling material are supplied to the lay plate 12 from cheeses 41 (Fig. 3), or other suitable 'packy y pivoted at the side of the opening 58 and urged by a coiled 2,976,669 Patented Mar'. 28, 1951 ages, mounted on the wheel 17. Advantageously, each of these packages 41 comprises a tow 42 of thousands of continuous filaments, which tow is wound about a central tubular support. The packages of tow are held in place onthe wheel 17 by nuts 43 engaging threaded posts 44 projecting from spacer bosses 46 on said wheel, said posts passing through the axes of the tubular supports of the packages. Supported on the bosses 46 are cylindrical housings 47 which are coaxial with the packages 41 and within which these packages are contained. Each housing 47 is preferably made of smooth surfaced material, such as sheet aluminum and is provided with a hinged lid 48, made of the same material and having a latch 49. In order to prevent rotation of the packages 41 about their axes a soft annular pad 51, preferably made of lambskiu or felt, is pressed against the tow at the base of each package by means of springs 52 disposed between the base of each housing 47 and an annular pressure-transmitting disc 53 which is in contact with the soft pad 51. The pads 51 also help prevent sloughing 0H of thetow from the bottom of each package 41 during the unwinding thereof.

The housings 47 are connected by metal straps 54 (Fig. 2) disposed generally tangentially to said housings and secured thereto by means of studs 56 passing through arcuate reinforcing plates 57 welded, like the studs, to the outer surfaces of the housings. This arrangement holds the housings 47 securely so that they do not tend to become dislodged by the centrifugal force developed during rotation of the wheel 17.

The lids 48 of the housings 47 are provided with circular openings 58 for the passage therethrough of the tow from the packages 41 to the lay plate 12. Lining each opening 58 is a smooth, hard-surfaced circular ring 59 (see also Figs. 4 and 5) clamped in place by spaced clips 61 disposed about the opening 58. A suitable material for this ring is steel which has been heat treated and hardened to a hardness of Rockwell Rc55, and thereafter polished to round off the inner edges thereof. Each opening 58 and ring 59 is offset from the axis of the corresponding container 47 in a direction toward the center of the wheel 17, for reasons to be explained below.

In operation, the tow 42 passing from each package 41 to the lay plate 12 is unwound over the end of the package and travels'through the opening 58, running in contact with the ring 59. Because the openings 58 are offset inwardly from the axes of the containers 47 the tow unwinds smoothly, under substantially uniform tension and does not tend to bind during unwinding. This phenomenon may be explained by a consideration of the effect `of the centrifugal forces resulting from the rotation of the wheel 17; These forces aid in the stripping of the tow from the package 41 when the tow is at the point of leaving the far side of the package, i.e. the side which is furthest from the shaft 16. However, the same forces press the tow against the package 41 when the tow is at the point of leaving the near side and these forces would tend to cause the tow to bind against theY package. This binding tendency would be particularly pronounced when the tow is leaving the near side of the package 41 adjacent to the base thereof, so that the tension in the tow could increase to such a degree as to cause it to break. The olfsetting of the opening 58 tends to equalize the tension in the tow being unwound from both the near and far sides of the packages 41. Also, the confining effect of the walls of the housing 47 preventsrthe tow from looping and coiling undesirably during unwinding.

Each of the lids- 48 is provided with means for engaging the tow and retarding its movement when the wheel 17 is at rest, while permitting free movement of the tow when the wheel is rotating. In one preferred form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, such means comprises a curved arm 64 3 pivot spring 66 (Fig. 5) to a position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, where it engages the tow and presses it against the side of the ring 59. When the wheel 17 is rotating so that the entire mechanism shown in Fig. 4 is moving in the direction shown by the arrows the resulting centrifugal force causes the atm 64 to swing, against the action of the pivot spring 66, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 thus clearing the opening 58 for free passage of the tow therethrough. When the wheel 17 is stopped, the force of the pivot spring 66 brings the arm 64 back to its tow-engaging position. rIhis prevents any tendency of the tow 42 between the packages 41 and the lay plate 12 to sag and form loops, due to its own weight, when the machine is stopped. Such sagging and looping, which occurs if the machine is not provided with a tow-engaging mechanism such as described above, is disadvantageous since the loops may snag, wrap or catch on parts of the machine or even on the operator of the machine when the machine is restarted. It should be added that the necessity for occasionally stopping the machine may arise from the need to replenish or replace `a source of wire or a package of tow 41 or may arise from the need to repair a break in the wire or tow, and that generally during the operation of stopping the machine the wheel 17 is decelerated at a rapid rate to avoid the formation of any appreciable length of defective cable.

Returning to the details of construction of themechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the curved arm 64 is pivotally supported on a flanged pivot screw 67 which passes through the lid 48. The pivot screw 67 is heldin place by a nut 68, while thel curved arm 64 is held on the pivot screw by a cap screw 69 whose head is received in a pivot washer 71. The coiled portion of the pivot spring 66 is disposed about the nut 68 while one end of said spring is received in an appropriate aperture 72 in the lid 48, the other end thereof being received in an aperture 73 in the arm 64. Preferably, the arm 64 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures to enable the tension of the spring 66 to be adjusted by moving its end from one aperture 73 to another. The construction and arrangement of the curved arm 64 is such that its tow-engaging surface 74 is substantially coextensive with the opening S8 in the lid 48 when the arm is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the arm being so mounted that it sweeps across substantially the entire opening 58 as it passes to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 thus insuring the proper engagement of the arm and the tow no matter where the tow may be positioned in said opening. A stop 76 is provided for' limiting the movement of the arm so that it does not crush or damage the tow.

As shown in Fig. l0, the tow-engaging surface 74 is preferably beveled or curved so that it makes an acute angle with the path of said tow. Accordingly, the passage of a knot, lump or other enlarged portion of the tow will have a camm-ing action on the arm 64 and will move said arm against the force of the spring 66. Thus, when the machine is just started and the surface 74 is still pressed tightly against the running tow, the presence of an en larged portion in the tow will not cause the arm 64 to be bent or broken.

ln Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 there are shown modified forms of the tow-engaging device. In the device of Fig. 6 the -arm 64 is replacedby a rod`78 attached to the lid'48 through a spring 79. When the machine is in operation and the lid 48 and connected parts are being moved in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 6, the resulting centrifugal force causes the rod 'i8 to moveagainst the action of the spring 79, to `the position shown in dotted lines, so that the opening 58 is cleared. When the machine is at rest the` action of the. spring 79 forces the rod 78 back toits tow-engaging position. Stopsf81 and 82 are provided for limiting the movement of the rod.

in the modiiication shown in Fig. 7, thetow-engaging device comprises a closed loop ot wire 84 normally'of oval or circular shape and of such size as to encircle the opening 58 inthe lid 48. One point on the wire 84 is fixed to the lid 48 while a diametrically opposed point is lixed to one end of a bent arm 86 which is pivotally supported on the lid by a screw 87. When the apparatus is at rest a spring 88 acts tokmove the arm 86 to a position where the sides of the loop of wire 84 are brought together across the opening 58 to engage the tow 42, the movement of the arm and wire being limited by a stop 89 to avoid damage tothe tow. This position is shown in solid lines in Fig. 7. The distribution of the mass of the bent arm 86 is such that when the apparatus is in operation and the wheel 17 is rotating the centrifugal force urges the bent arm to the position shown in dotted lines, against the action of the spring 88, so that the wire 84 clears the opening 58.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the tow-engaging deivce comprises a pair of opposing symmetrically arranged pivoted bent arms 91 adapted to grip the tow 42 between them, the arms being urged to tow-engaging position by a torsion spring 92 mounted around the common pivot point 93 of said arms. A stop 94 prevents the arms 91 from approaching so closely as to damage the tow 42. The arms 91 are provided with weights 96 which are so positioned that when the cable twisting machine is in operation centrifugal force urges the arms to the position shown in dotted lines, thus clearing the opening 58. Preferably, the tow-engaging portions 97 of the arms 91 are rounded and disposed at an angle to each other and to the plane of the lid 48 and ring 59, as shown in Fig. 9, wherein the tow-engaging portions of the arms 91 converge in the direction of movement of the tow. This construction permits the passage of knots, lumps or other enlarged portions of the tow without damage to the arms 97, in a manner similar to that explained in connection with the bevelling of the surface 74 in the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and l0.

I-t is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely given by way of illustration and'that many variationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for the processing of filamentarymaterial, comprising means for mounting a package of iilamentary material for movement in a path, means for drawing the ilamentary material from said package during the movement thereof, and means responsive to said Y movement for engaging said ilamentary material adjacent to said package to restrain the movement of said lamentary material when the movement of said package is stopped, said responsive means permitting free movement of said ilamentary material and being disengaged therefrom during the movement of said package in said path.

2. Apparatus for the twisting of strands comprising means for mounting a plurality of spaced packages of strands for orbital movement, means for drawing said strands through avcommon opening to form a twisted structure therefrom, and means responsive to said orbital movement for engaging said strands adjacent to their respective packages to restrain the movement of said' to form a twisted Vstructure therefrom, and rneansrespon sive tok said orbital movement for engaging said strands.

leaving the packages adjacent to their respective packages vim-m' and restraining the movement of said strands from said package to said drawing means when said orbital movement is stopped, said responsive means permitting free movement of said strands and being disengaged therefrom during the orbital movement of said packages.

4. In an apparatus for the production of cables by the twisting together of strands of wire and strands of filling material, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a plurality of spaced strands of wire, means for mounting a plurality of spaced packages of strands of filling material for movement in an orbit, rotatable means for guiding said strands of wire and of filling material in spaced relationship, and means for bringing said spaced strands of Wire and filling material together to form a cable, the improvement which comprises means responsive to said orbital movement for engaging said strands of filling material adjacent to said packages to restrain the movement of said strands of filling material when said orbital movement is stopped, said responsive means being so disposed as to be out of contact with said strands and thereby permitting free movement of said strands during the orbital movement of said packages.

5. In an apparatus for the production of cables by the twisting together of strands of wire and strands of lling material, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a plurality of spaced strands of wire, means for mounting a plurality of spaced packages of strands of lling material for movement in an orbit, rotatable means for guiding said strands of wire and of filling material in spaced relationship, and means for bringing said spaced strands of wire and filling material together to form a cable, the improvement which comprises housings mounted about said packages of filling material for movement with said packages, said housings having openings for the passage of said filling material from said packages to said rotatable guiding means, and means responsive to said orbital movement for engaging said strands of filling material adjacent to said openings to restrain the movement of said strands of filling material when said orbital movement is stopped, said responsive means permitting free movement of said strands and being disengaged therefrom during the orbital movement of said packages.

6. In an apparatus for the production of cables by the twisting together of strands of wire and strands of filling material, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a plurality of spaced strands of wire, means for mounting a plurality of spaced cylindrical packages of strands of filling material for circumrotation about a common axis substantially parallel to the axes of said packages, rotatable means for guiding said strands of wire and of filling material in spaced relationship, said means for bringing said spaced strands of wire and filling material together to form a cable, the improvement which comprises cylindrical housings mounted about said packages substantially coaxially therewith for movement with said packages, said housings having openings in the ends thereof for the passage of said strands of filling material from said packages to said rotatable guiding means, said openings being otfset from the axes of said packages in a direction toward said common axis.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said openings are substantially circular.

8. Apparatus for the twisting together of filamentary material comprising means for mounting a plurality of spaced cylindrical wound packages of strands of filamentary material for circumrotation about a common axis substantially parallel to the axes of said packages, means on said common axis for combining lamentary materials drawn from said packages into a twisted structure, cylindrical housings mounted about said packages substantially coaxially therewith for movement with said packages, said housings having openings in the ends thereof for the passage of said strands of tilamentary material from said packages to said combining means, said openings being offset from the axes of said packages in a direction toward said common axis.

9. Apparatus for the twisting together of filamentary material comprising means for mounting a plurality of spaced cylindrical wound packages of strands of filamentary material for circumrotation about a common axis substantially parallel to the axes of said packages while preventing rotation of said packages about their axes during said circumrotation, means on said common axis for combining filamentary materials drawn from said packages into a twisted structure, cylindrical housings mounted about said packages for movement with said packages substantially coaxially therewith, said housings having openings in the ends thereof for the passage of said strands of lamentary material from said packages to said combining means, said openings being offset from the axes of said packages in a direction tow-ard said common axis.

10. Apparatus for the twisting of strands comprising means for mounting a plurality of spaced packages of strands for orbital movement, means for drawing said strands through a common opening to form a twisted structure therefrom, and means responsive to said orbital movement restraining. the movement of said strands from said package to said drawing means when said orbital movement is stopped, said responsive means permitting free movement of said strands and being disengaged therefrom during the orbital movement of said packages.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim l, said responsive means comprising a member movable between a position engaging and restraining said tilamentary material and a position freeing said filamentary material, a spring for urging said member to said restraining position, the construction and arrangement being such that during said movement said member is moved to said freeing position, against the force of said spring, by centrifugal force resulting from said movement.

l2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, said apparatus comprising a housing mounted about said package for movement therewith, said housing having an opening for the passage of said filamentary material and said movable member being mounted on said housing.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, in which said member comprises a curved arm constructed and arranged to sweep across said opening so as to cause said filamentary material to be gripped between said member and the edge of said opening.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, in which said member comprises a rod constructed and arranged to sweep across said opening so as to cause said lamentary material to be gripped between said member and the edge of said opening.

l5. Apparatus as set forth in claim l2, in which said member comprises a wire encircling said opening, the construction and arrangement being such that the spring acts to urge the sides of said wire together to cause said filamentary material to be gripped between said sides.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim l2, in which there are a pair of opposing members pivoted on said housing adjacent said opening and said spring urges said members towards each other across said opening to grip said fil-amentary material between said members. A

17. In an apparatus for the production of cables by the twisting together of strands of wire and strands of filling material, said apparatus comprising means for supplying a plurality of spaced strands of wire, means for mounting a plurality of spaced cylindrical packages of strands of filling material for circumrotation about a common substantially horizontal axis substantially parallel to the axes of said packages, rotatable means for guiding said strands of wire and of lling material in spaced relationship, and means for bringing said spaced strands of wire and lling material together to form a agresse cable, the improvement which comprises cylindrical housings mounted about said packages substantially coaxially therewith for movement With saidV packages, said housings having lids at the ends thereof, there being openings in said lids for the passage of said strands of filling material from said packages to said rotatable guiding means, said openings being oiiset from the axes of said packages in a direction toward said common axis, pads in said containers for preventing said packages from rotating about their own axes during said circumrotation, and means responsive to said circumrotation for engaging said strands of filling material adjacent to said openings to restrain the movement of said strands of lling material when said circumrotation is stopped, said responsive means comprising a member movable between a position engaging and restraining said filling material and a position freeing said filling material, a spring for urging said member to said restraining position, the construction and arrangement being such that during Vsaid circumrotntion said member is moved to said freeing position, against the force of said spring, by the centrifugal force resulting from said circumrotation.

18. Apparatus as set forth inclaim 17, said member having a surface for engagement with said filling material when said iilling material is restrained by said member, said surface being disposed at an `acute angle to the path of said filling material and the construction being such that any enlarged portions of said illing material passing in contact with said surface will act on said surface to move said member against the force of said spring.

19. Apparatus for the twisting together of lamentary material comprising means for mounting a plurality of spaced .cylindrical wound packages of ilamentary material for circumrotation about a common axis substantially parallel to the axes of said packages, means on said common axis for combining iilamentary materials drawn from said packages into a twisted structure, housings mounted about said packages to permit movement with said packages but not rotation about the housing axes, said housings having openings for the passage of said strands of iilamentary material from said packages to said combining means, pads disposed adjacent to the ends of said packages furthest from said openings, and springs for pressing said pads against the filamentary material at said ends to prevent rotation of the packages about their axes during said circumrotation.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 306,911 Fornander Oct. 21, 1884 447,153 Holmes Feb. 24, 1891 450,137 Bullock Apr. 14, 1891 687,981 Eastwood Dec. 3, 1901 1,271,492 Stines July 2, 1918 1,387,299 Oliver Aug. 9, 1921 1,840,262 Simonson et al Ian. 5, 1932 1,934,363 Littlefield Nov. 7, 1933 2,020,757 Abbott Nov. 12, 1935 2,411,126 Burharn Nov. 12, 1946 2,484,282 Griffin Oct. 11, 1949 2,504,020 Hanson Apr. 11, 1950 2,635,831 Hays Apr. 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 393,961 Great Britain .lune 9, 1933 

